Blend polymeric membranes containing fluorinated ethylene-propylene polymers for gas separations

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to gas separation membranes and, in particular, to high selectivity fluorinated ethylene-propylene polymer-comprising polymeric blend membranes for gas separations. The polymeric blend membrane comprises a fluorinated ethylene-propylene polymer and a second polymer different from the fluorinated ethylene-propylene polymer. The fluorinated ethylene-propylene polymers in the current invention are copolymers comprising 10 to 99 mol % 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene-based structural units and 1 to 90 mol % vinylidene fluoride-based structural units. The second polymer different from the fluorinated ethylene-propylene polymer is selected from a low cost, easily processable glassy polymer.

1 . A polymeric blend membrane comprising a fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer comprising 10 to 99 mol % 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene-based structural units and 1 to 90 mol % vinylidene fluoride-based structural units and a second polymer different from said fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer. 
     
     
         2 . The membrane of  claim 1  wherein said fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer comprises a plurality of first repeating units of formula (I): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein n and m are independent integers from 100 to 20000. 
       
     
     
         3 . The membrane of  claim 1  wherein said fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer further comprising structural units derived from other monomers. 
     
     
         4 . The membrane of  claim 3  wherein said other monomers comprise hexafluoropropene. 
     
     
         5 . The membrane of  claim 1  wherein said second polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethersulfone, sulfonated polyethersulfone, cellulosic polymers, polyamide, polyimide, poly(arylene oxide), poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinyl fluoride), poly(vinylidene chloride), poly(vinylidene fluoride), poly(vinyl alcohol), polymers of intrinsic microporosity and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The membrane of  claim 5  wherein said second polymer is a cellulosic polymer selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate and cellulose triacetate. 
     
     
         7 . The membrane of  claim 5  wherein said second polymer is a poly(arylene oxide) selected from the group consisting of poly(phenylene oxide) and poly(xylene oxide). 
     
     
         8 . The membrane of  claim 1  wherein said fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer comprises 20 to 99 mol % 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene-based structural units and 1 to 80 mol % vinylidene fluoride-based structural units. 
     
     
         9 . The membrane of  claim 1  wherein the weight ratio of the fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer to the second polymer in the polymeric blend membrane is in a range between 1:20 to 20:1. 
     
     
         10 . The membrane of  claim 1  wherein the weight ratio of the fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer to the second polymer in the polymeric blend membrane is in a range between 1:10 to 10:1. 
     
     
         11 . The membrane of  claim 1  wherein the second polymer is cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         12 . The membrane of  claim 1  wherein said membrane is fabricated into a sheet, tube or hollow fibers. 
     
     
         13 . A process of separating at least two gases or two liquids comprising contacting said gases or liquids with a polymeric blend membrane comprising a fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer comprising 10 to 99 mol % 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene-based structural units and 1 to 90 mol % vinylidene fluoride-based structural units and a second polymer different from said fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said polymeric blend membrane comprises a fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer comprising 70 to 90 mol % 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene-based structural units and 10 to 30 mol % vinylidene fluoride-based structural units. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said gases are separated from natural gas and comprise one or more gases selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, water vapor, hydrogen sulfide and helium. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said gases are volatile organic compounds. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16  wherein said volatile organic compounds are selected from the group consisting of toluene, xylene and acetone. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said gases comprise a mixture of carbon dioxide and at least one gas selected from hydrogen, flue gas and natural gas. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said gases are a mixture of olefins and paraffins or iso and normal paraffins. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said gases comprise a mixture of gases selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and oxygen, carbon dioxide and methane, hydrogen and methane or carbon monoxide, helium and methane.